


The Best In Us

by chemically_imbalanced_romance



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Classism, Janus and Remus could be viewed as unsympathetic in the beginning, M/M, Multi, Poverty, Redemption, Redemption Arcs, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, but these are prevalent throughout the fic, let me know if I missed anything please, lots of shitty people doing shitty things, specific trigger warnings will be before each chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29585142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chemically_imbalanced_romance/pseuds/chemically_imbalanced_romance
Summary: Logan is a new angel, though it isn't quite official yet. He's sent down to earth to complete his initiation and earn his wings. His job is to find whatever is corrupting Angelica Island and stop it through any means necessary.Remus and Janus are demons, and the ones corrupting Angelica Island.Then the three of them start sleeping together.(note: the nsfw/sex scenes really aren't explicit at all, i got embarrassed lol. so sorry no p0rn for you)
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, i can't find the tag but intruloceit ok it's intruloceit, moxiety in the background
Comments: 24
Kudos: 31





	1. Not Like You

**Author's Note:**

> trigger warnings: Porn mention, intruders/robberies/politicians/exploitation/kidnappings mentioned in passing, past suicide attempt from a major character (happy ending), vague nsfw scene at the end, not super great aftercare practices

Eden Gardens was a tall, brick box planted by a main road. It blocked the sun, casting the filthy parking lot in shadows. Logan’s suitcase jumped against the potholes and uneven pavement as he headed towards the main entrance. 

Inside was cold. A broken bell clinked above the door, doing nothing to raise the head of the receptionist. 

He was a lanky white boy made of all angles and bones. Logan cleared his throat three times before he looked up. 

“My name is Logan Rennes. I’m moving into apartment 17D. I was told— are you looking at porn?” 

The receptionist— Remus, his nametag read —covered the page with his scarred palm. He slowly dragged the magazine off the desk, letting it flitter to the ground, without breaking eye contact. “Nope. JAN! NEW GUY’S HERE!” 

He plopped back into his chair and slid in front of the computer, pale fingers flying over the keys. 

Logan adjusted the backpack on his shoulder and cleared his throat. He shifted his weight a few times, then turned to look at the lobby. The wine-red carpet peeled in the corners, revealing copper stains. The front windows could have brought in some light, if they’d been cleaned anytime in the last century. A chandelier hung from the low ceiling, half of the lightbulbs dead. 

Logan reached back and scratched his shoulder blades. The door behind the desk opened. 

The man who walked out looked far more put together than Remus. His clothes, though not what Logan would call professional, were at least clean and neat— black jeans and a leather jacket with some sturdy boots. The broken chandelier cast shadows over his cool, tawny-brown skin, the light reflecting in his gray eyes. 

He grabbed Remus by the chin and guided his face away from the computer screen. He kissed Remus hard, and Logan’s eyes widened. 

When he pulled away, ‘Jan’ asked, “Did you get the key for us?” 

Remus sighed and pulled open a drawer. He dug around for a minute before producing a small brass key. 

“I won’t be long.” The owner covered Remus’ hand with his own as he took the key. “Do your work.” 

He came around the desk and held out his hand. “Logan Rennes? I’m Janus.” 

Logan recovered quickly and shook Janus’ hand. As he led Logan to his apartment, he briefly explained where things were, like the mailroom and a few poorly-maintained fire exits, but mostly reminded Logan of the rules, when rent was due, and that Janus gave out a single warning before eviction. 

“Not that I’m too worried about you.” Janus looked him up and down in the elevator. “You seem… like you respect rules.” 

Logan scratched at his shoulder blade. “I do,” he said uncomfortably. “I think they’re important.” He bit his tongue before he could point out how unreasonable some of them were. 

“So here it is, furnished like you asked.” Janus threw the door open. 

It thudded against the cracked, watery-gray walls. It was a studio apartment with only two small windows streaming the setting sun over the stained carpet. A double bed was pushed against the wall, a coffee table and a couch plopped in the middle of the room, and a bookshelf between the windows. The kitchen was covered in dust and Logan wondered just how reliable the fridge would be. 

Janus held out the key and leaned against the doorframe. A warm smile spread across his sharp face. “You know, you can feel free to come to me if you need to make any changes to your lease. I was surprised when you didn’t want to sign for the year— most people like the reliability. You know, the clarity of knowing where they’ll be.” 

Logan took the key. He tried to smile back, but it felt unnatural and judging by the laughter Janus choked down, it looked it, too. “I’m okay. I’ll only be here a few months.” 

Janus shrugged and pushed himself off the wall. “Well, regardless, let me know if you need anything. Or Remus. He’s good at his job, believe it or not.” 

Logan hesitated. Just before Janus disappeared into the hall, Logan stepped forward and said, “He was looking at porn.” 

Janus raised an eyebrow. 

“I don’t know if you know, but…” He coughed. “When I walked in, he was looking at porn.” 

Janus grinned. “I’ll be sure to get him for that.” 

Then he was gone. 

Logan shook that off and shut and locked the door. He perched himself at the edge of the couch with his luggage next to him and dug around in his backpack. 

His heart pounded in his ears as his fingers slid against smooth paper. He wasn’t allowed to look at it until he arrived. 

He tore open the envelope with trembling hands. Inside was a folded paper, with script written in gold: 

_ Something is corrupting Angelica Island from the inside. Find the problem and fix it how you see fit.  _

The rest was reminders of check-in dates, what to do in case of emergency, and the reminder that if Logan passed the test, it would complete his initiation and his wings would come through. 

There was no more information on the problem. 

There were no leads. 

No one that could help him. 

He swallowed and slid the paper back in the envelope, the envelope back in his bag. 

That was fine. 

He pulled out his laptop and looked at the recent local events, and immediately wanted to close the laptop. He was overwhelmed. Home intruders, robberies, corrupt politicians, exploited children, kidnappings— He didn’t even know where to start. 

One incident was covered by several journalists: The suicide attempt of Patton Grace. Sometime last year, Patton climbed to the top of one of the city buildings and leapt off. There were pictures of him, mid-fall. He had fallen far enough that it didn’t make sense for anyone to be able to reach him, but the next photo showed him being pulled back onto the roof by a boy with purple hair. There was a ‘camera flair’ above the boy’s head. 

Logan dug around for hours and eventually found the boy’s last known address. 

He headed downstairs. In the lobby, Janus sat on the desk with an eyeliner pencil to Remus’ lid. He met Logan’s eye over Remus’ shoulder. 

“Hey.” He wrapped his legs around Remus’ waist and rested his chin on Remus’ shoulder. “Where you headed?” 

Logan awkwardly waved the paper he scribbled the address on. “Work thing.” 

Remus shuffled and turned around, leaning back into Janus’ embrace. “At ten pm?” 

“It’s kind of a, uh, on-call thing.” He played with the edge of his jacket, shifting his weight side to side. 

Janus and Remus looked at each other for a moment, twin grins. They looked back to Logan, and Remus said, “Well you should blow it off, and hang out with us.” 

Logan’s eyes widened. “What? No, I can’t. Why? What are you doing?” 

“Bar-hopping, mostly,” Janus said. “Explore the city. You wouldn’t believe how long we’ve been here, but we’re always finding something new.” 

“O-Oh.” Logan swallowed. 

The boys weren’t trying to hide their stares. Logan wasn’t the type to easily admit when someone was flirting with him, but it was hard to deny the looks they were giving him. 

He smoothed down his jacket. “I can’t. I really need to work.” 

“Hm.” Janus shrugged and turned Remus back around, picking up the eyeliner pencil. “Weird that you only brought one suitcase. Are you planning on doing  _ anything _ but work?” He laughed. 

“No, why?”

Janus and Remus stared at him. 

Logan shifted. “What?” 

The two looked back at each other, Janus widening his eyes and exhaling. “Nothing, Logan. Go do your thing. Maybe you can come with us next time.” 

“M-Maybe.” He cleared his throat. “Uh… Bye.” 

Logan rushed out of the building and to his truck. 

Most of Angelica Island leaned towards one side or the other of the wealth spectrum. Eden Gardens was settled along the edge of a portion that was hit pretty hard with poverty. There were several organizations that worked to keep the Pits clean and crime-free, but it was hard to keep up with the rest of the city’s mistreatment. 

It was a Friday night. Traffic was packed, shiny cars tossed food wrappers and cigarette butts out the window. Groups of white women in sparkling dresses with bulging purses drifted in and out of lit-up bars. All of the traffic was going against Logan, to the point where it took him an hour to get out of the relatively small Pit and into a more well-taken-care-of area. 

Past the market district, past miles upon miles of wealthier streets, far enough out of sight that the Midases don’t bother to corrupt it, was a small pocket community who had clawed their way out of the Pits. They weren’t nearly wealthy enough to afford the Midas districts, but they reformed an abandoned neighborhood and built what really functioned as a separate society. They were legally under Angelica Island, but ‘out of sight, out of mind’ was their strongest defense. 

With the stars flung across the velvet sky, not many people were out to question Logan’s rickety pickup truck cruising down the road. He counted the houses under the breath until he found 33 Pomegranate. It was the right side of a pastel blue duplex with planter boxes in the windows, purple orchids barely clinging to life. 

Logan hopped out of the truck and grabbed his backpack. He hiked up the drive and knocked on the door, quick to straighten his tie and adjust his coat. 

The door swung open and Patton Grace looked at him in surprise. “Hi, is everything okay?” 

Logan cleared his throat. “Everything is okay. I’m looking for a Virgil Dexter. Does he still live here?” 

Patton hesitated. He looked over his shoulder, brushing the flour from his apron. “Um… Give me one second, please.” He looked back to Logan and faltered again. 

“I don’t mind waiting out here.” 

He smiled in nervous relief. “Thank you. I won’t be long.” 

The door shut and locked, and footsteps raced away. A moment later, voices drifted closer. 

“-you just opened the door? It’s the middle of the night, did you check the peephole?” 

“Well he doesn’t  _ look _ creepy, and what if he needs help?” 

“You ask if you can call the police for him. Patton, you can’t just-” The man sighed. “Let me just see what he wants. Can you go back into the kitchen, keep your spray on you?” 

A loud kiss and some footsteps later the door swung back open. Virgil’s face was heavy with exhaustion, dark bags against his colourless skin. If Logan didn’t know just what he was, he’d worry Virgil was a ghost. 

Once they met eyes, Virgil’s eyes narrowed. “What’s your name?” 

“Logan Rennes.” He held his hand out. 

Virgil stared. “Did you need help?” 

“Yes.” He abandoned the handshake and flipped his satchel around. “And as a fellow angel, I think you’d be inclined to consider.” 

“I’m not like you.” Virgil gripped the door, ready to slam at any minute. “This is your initiation, is that it? You need to get better at blending in.” 

Logan glanced down at himself. “It’s never been a problem before.”

He paused, tilting his head and analyzing Logan closely. “You started as a human?” 

“I did, but that’s irrelevant. I am working on my initiation, and you’re my only lead. May I ask some questions?” 

Virgil glanced over his shoulder, then stepped outside and shut the door behind him. “Prove it first. How do I know you’re an angel?” 

Logan set his backpack on the ground and shrugged off his coat. Under his tie, he wore an off-the-shoulder sweater. It was originally for easier access to his shoulder blades, since they itched 24/7, but it was actually really comfortable. 

He turned around. “Check.” 

Virgil hesitated. He tugged the hem of Logan’s sweater down and ran his cold fingers over the bumps where Logan’s wings were growing in. Logan tensed. 

Virgil shrugged and took a step back, crossing his arms. “Well you’re not human anymore. But demons get wings, too. So try again.” 

Logan turned to face him. He ran his fingers through the springy coils of his bangs, pulling them this way and that. “No horns.” 

Virgil pressed his fingers to Logan’s scalp in several places, including the shaved sides. He threw his hands up. “Fine. Shut up and follow me, then you can ask your questions.” 

He brought Logan inside. The house was small, with cotton candy blue walls and clean wooden floors. Patton shuffled out of the kitchen, gripping a can of pepper spray at his chest. 

“Everything okay, Verge?” 

“Yeah. This is Logan, he’s actually an old friend of mine. He needs to talk about something serious, though, and it’s a little private…”

Patton was already nodding and putting away the pepper spray. “Of course! No, I totally understand, and I hope everything’s okay! I’m just in here working so please, take the bedroom as long as you need.” 

Virgil walked over to give Patton a quick kiss on the cheek and whisper something in his ear, then he dragged Logan upstairs. 

“You’re dating a human?” He asked once the door was closed, digging around for his notebook. “How does that work? Is it approved, is it safe?” 

“It’s none of your business, but if you want to waste your time reporting something already approved, go ahead.” Virgil pulled out his desk chair and plopped down, crossing his legs at the ankle. “Listen, I don’t know how much I’ll be able to tell you. You don’t fuck with another angel’s initiation.” 

“I don’t…” Logan frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t see how you helping me would tamper the results. But either way, I just have a few questions about Patton’s suicide.” He clicked his pen and held it over the page. 

“Jesus!” Virgil leapt up and rushed to make sure the door was locked. “Dude, lower your voice!” 

He blinked. “Uh. Apologies. May I…” he clicked the pen a few times, “proceed?” 

“No.” Virgil crossed his arms. “It’s none of your business, and I can’t see how it would help your investigation. Tell me your instructions.” 

Logan sat at the edge of the bed and gave Virgil the envelope. 

Virgil sighed as he read. “Never give us shit,” he grumbled. He handed it back. “What’ve you got so far?” 

“Well…” Logan shook his head and pushed his bangs back. “There’s… a lot. I can’t imagine what one thing could be corrupting this place so bad. I mean— it’s overwhelming, Virgil.” 

He nodded slowly and sat, reclining and tossing his feet on the desk. 

Logan cupped his chin, elbows pressed to his knees. Fatigue pulled at his eyelids, a yawn threatening to push from his throat. “My first thought was to start with the Midases, but they don’t seem to be the root. You know, the most of them are very easily influenced. I think there’s something using that to its advantage.” 

Virgil thought for a long moment. He crossed his arms and stared out the window, his blinds cracked to reveal slits of the quiet village. Then he said, “I’m going to tell you something. You’ll owe me, and if I get in trouble, you’ll owe me twice.” 

Logan blinked. “Deal.” 

“The island is infested with demons. They’re the ones using the Midases. The Pit Dwellers, too. They’re influencing the whole city.” 

Logan straightened up and leaned forward. “Do you know who they are?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Who are they?”

“No.”

Logan blinked. “I’m sorry?” 

“I’m not fucking with your initiation. Now get out.” 

Logan stood, fumbling to grab his bag. “But- I don’t understand. If you know who they are and what they’re doing, why aren’t you doing anything?” 

Virgil glanced at the bedroom door. “It’s not my job.” 

He shook his head. “You’re an  _ angel-”  _

“I’m not a soldier.” 

Logan stared at him with wide, uncomprehending eyes. 

Virgil grinned. “Someone struggled with classes…”

Logan’s stomach tightened, heat igniting behind his ribcage. 

“You’re clearly training to be on the offensive side, right? Sent down on missions, fixing the corruption, making the world better.” He planted his boots on the ground and draped his arms over his knees. “Well I’m not. I’m a  _ guardian _ angel. I don’t go looking for trouble, I keep it away from my target.” 

Logan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Patton. You’re here to protect Patton.” 

“Yeah. And having a soldier in our home is already compromising that. So get out.” 

xxx

Logan got home a little after midnight. He trudged into the lobby, head hung low, backpack barely clinging to his shoulder. 

“Woah,” Remus laughed. He bent over the counter and waved to get Logan’s attention. “Someone looks rough. JAN!” 

Logan sighed and stopped. Janus came out the office and leaned against the counter. “What’s going on? You don’t look like an EMT but you’re walking like someone died.” 

Logan dropped his bag against the counter and propped his head up. “Just a… less than helpful shift.” 

“What do you do, anyway?” Remus asked. 

“Volunteer work.” 

“Specific.” Janus rolled his eyes and circled around. He rested one hand on Logan’s shoulder, his black acrylic nails digging into Logan’s coat. “But maybe you don’t want to talk about it. Maybe you want to be distracted. Hot or cold?” 

A blush flooded from the top of Logan’s head down his neck. “U-uh…” He looked up weakly. Remus and Janus stared expectantly. “Hot? What, um, what are you guys even doing here? You were bar-hopping?” 

“Yeah, then the Midases got there.” Remus huffed. “Usually they’re fun to mess with but God, they’re so annoying.” 

“We decided to come home and wait for you.” Janus let his nails trail to the centre of Logan’s back, forcing a shiver to chase across his skin. “See if you’d reconsider our offer.” 

“To go out? But you said-” 

“Nope.” Remus grinned. “Our offer was to hang out with us. Just because we’re not going out doesn’t mean you can’t join us.” 

“I do have work tomorrow,” he mumbled. “I should probably go to bed…”

“And rest is very important.” Janus took his hand away and smiled. “But so is having fun. And you didn’t seem to equipt for that moving here.”

Remus pouted. “Have fun with us?” 

Logan nodded. “Yeah. Yes. That’d be…”

Laughing, Janus gripped his tie and tugged him towards the elevator. “Remus, get his bag.” 

Upstairs, Janus’s hands on Logan’s hips thudded him against the closed door. He and Remus’ apartment smelled much better than Logan’s— like spices and plant life. Logan gripped Janus’ shoulders for stability as Janus kissed him. 

Logan’s legs were weak. Remus and Janus’ chuckles swam through his ears as Logan kissed him back weakly, shivering and gasping at every little touch. 

Janus picked Logan up and carried him over to the bed, where Remus had already pulled the covers back. Janus caged Logan against the mattress and kissed him until Logan couldn’t stop squirming, couldn’t stop whining. 

Janus settled against the headboard with Logan in his lap, and Remus wasted no time settling behind them and kissing along the back of Logan’s neck. Janus ran his hands under Logan’s shirt, over his stomach, to his back. Janus and Remus worked together to toss Logan’s shirt somewhere on the ground, and Remus slowly and methodically trailed hickeys down Logan’s back. 

The two took their time with Logan. It didn’t actually take  _ long  _ to reduce him to squirms and whines and unintelligible begs, but they kept teasing. Logan spent the night yanked between the two of them— once one was satisfied, the other was ready for more. He couldn’t count how many times he came. 

After laying between the two for long enough, trying to catch his breath and process what exactly happened, he realized it was over. It had to be close to 4am. 

Janus gripped Logan by his hair and kissed him hard, then whispered, “Sit tight for a second,” and climbed out of bed. 

He came back with two glasses of water. He gave one to Logan, but helped Remus out of bed. “Do you need anything?” 

Logan gulped down half the glass, then shook his head. “Uh, no— should I—?”

“No, go ahead and lay down. We won’t be long.” 

Remus sipped at his water and followed Janus, spaced out. The bathroom door locked behind them. A little bit later, while Logan was still contemplating whether it would be better for him to leave or stay, they came back out. Remus looked much more present. 

They crawled back into bed, nudging Logan to the middle. Janus wrapped his arms around Logan’s waist and nuzzled into his neck. 

“You sure you don’t need anything?” Remus asked softly, settling against Logan’s chest. 

He glanced between the two of them, his heart pounding. “This is good.” 

Janus kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep.”

It didn’t take long.


	2. Lie Often

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: lots of lying lmao, shitty high school conditions (happy ending), Janus “Questionable Morals” Sanders, explicit description of someone having a night terror, minor violence (in their sleep), PTSD mention. Please let me know if I forgot anything.

_ Briiiiiing!  _

_ Briiiiiing!  _

“Turn that shit off,” Janus grumbled, burying his face in Remus’ hair. 

Logan pushed an arm off his stomach, shimmied up on the bed, and slipped out of an entanglement of legs as he searched for his phone. 

_ Briiiiiing!  _

“Damnit,” Logan whispered. 

He crawled over Remus and swung his legs over the bed. Janus grabbed his arm, black nails pressing into Logan’s dark skin. 

“You’re leaving?” 

“It’s my boss.” Logan pulled his arm back. “I’ll come back.” 

He looked Logan up and down. “You better.” 

Logan blushed. He pulled on the first pair of pants and shirt he could snatch from the floor— Remus’ green skirt, Janus’ leather jacket —and stepped into the hall. 

“Ma’am?” 

“What are you doing right now?” 

Seraphina’s voice was ice. It froze Logan’s veins, stopped his heart. 

“Um… I just woke up. About to start my day.” 

She sighed through her teeth. “You need to get back to work,” she said tersely. “Immediately.” 

“I— Okay.” Logan frowned. “Did something happen?” 

Silence. 

Her voice came out softer. “Just get back to work, Logan. You’re slacking, and I don’t appreciate it.” 

_ Click.  _

Guilt settled in Logan’s stomach. He pulled the jacket tighter around himself and snuck back into the room. 

Janus and Remus were in the kitchen, Remus sat on the counter with a cup of juice while Janus cooked something on the stove. Remus looked over his shoulder, and a sharp grin spread across his face. 

“Cute. Jan, look at him.” 

Janus snickered. “Let me guess: Your boss is pissed you took a night off and wants you to get back to work right this very second.” 

He shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with his phone. “She has a point. This is really important work.” 

“Do you even get paid?” Remus asked. 

Logan blinked. “Of course I do. They took care of the apartment for me.” 

Janus scraped some food onto a plate and slid it over to Remus. He held up his hand. “Wait, they’re paying your rent? Did you pick this place or them?” 

Logan wandered back towards the bed and searched for his clothes. “My boss did. Why?” 

Remus and Janus glanced at each other. Mouth full, Remus snickered and asked, “Why the hell would she choose this place?” 

“Uh.” Logan frowned as he pulled on his pants. “Is there something wrong with this place?” 

“Of course not. I run the perfect building.” Janus put a finger over Remus’ lips. “Eat, Remus.” 

Logan went home, nearly escaping with Janus’ leather jacket before he was caught. He sat and poured over his notes, but there wasn’t much to go off of. The next few weeks were full of dead ends and coffee and sex. He did his best to focus all his attention on finding the demons, but sometimes the coffee just didn’t do the trick, and it was frustrating not making any progress. Remus and Janus… distracted him. Very easily. 

He supposed he could resist if he really wanted to. 

Even with the hours he spent with them, he only learned three concrete things about them: That Remus preferred to do his aftercare in private, he really knew how to get under a person’s skin, and Janus was very convincing. 

Logan held his notebook to his chest and leaned on the receptionist’s desk. “Janus around?” 

Remus waggled his eyebrows without switching his gaze from the computer screen. “What you need him for?” 

He rolled his eyes with a quiet chuckle. “Nothing like that. Work stuff.” 

“Boring. JAN!” 

The office door opened and Janus stepped out. His eyebrows raised. “Too early for sex, should I go get a complaint form?” 

“What?” Logan shook his head. “No, my apartment’s fine. I mean, there’s a few things, but— No. I need your help.” 

“Hm.” He wrapped his arms around Remus’ shoulders and rested his chin on Remus’ head. “What is it?” 

“Do you know of…” Logan flipped through a few pages, “Councilwoman Curie?” 

“Mhm…” Janus quirked an eyebrow. “What would you guys want with her? She’s an asshole.” 

“Well,” Logan cleared his throat and shifted his weight, “uh, strong words, but precisely. I need to speak with her regarding Angelica High’s budget and— I don’t think she’ll give me the time of day.” 

“Mhm. You know I’m not her friend or anything, right?” 

Remus snorted. 

“Well…” Logan frowned. “You don’t have a  _ bad _ reputation with her, do you?” 

“I don’t think she even knows I exist.” 

“If she does,” Remus said, “then yeah, he’s probably got a bad reputation.” 

“Why would you say that?” Logan asked. 

“Do your work.” Janus grabbed Remus’ hand and set it on the mouse. “Tell me your plan, Lo.” 

“Her positive vote is the last one needed to grant Angelica High a bigger budget, which,” he laughed, “from what I’ve seen, is  _ desperately _ needed. I want to convince her. And you’re… charismatic. You could get me in and maybe help my argument.” 

_ And hopefully get a closer look and see if any councilmembers are the demons.  _

Janus leaned on the desk with his chin in his hands, face inches from Logan’s. Logan’s eyes widened, his breath hitching. 

“You really have a lot of faith in me, huh?” 

Logan’s face flushed. As much as he tried to stop himself, his eyes drifted down to Janus’ mouth— his lips were painted gunmetal gray. 

“Uh-huh,” he managed. 

Janus grinned. “Big mistake,” he whispered. He pulled away and headed into his office, calling, “Be ready in five!” 

The door clicked closed. 

Logan popped his collar and swallowed. Remus snickered. 

“What kind of volunteer work do you do, anyway?” Remus asked. “Who cares about the high school’s budget?” 

“It’s kind of a, um…” Logan shook his head.  _ Focus.  _ “It’s like an all-around type thing. If something piques my boss’ attention, she sends her, uh, workers out to, you know, work on it.” 

“Doesn’t sound like any volunteer organization I’ve heard of. What’s the name?” 

“Uh-”

The door opened. “I’m ready, let’s go.” 

Logan forced a laugh. “Can’t keep Janus waiting. Let’s go.” 

He rushed out of the building, and let out a big sigh that turned to fog. If he was going to hang out with these two, he should probably come up with some lies— basic background information —but, God, he hated lying. Most of the time there was no point and when he had to, he was bad at it. 

“What was that about?” Janus asked. 

“Remus was just asking some questions. Do you want to drive, or walk?” 

“Let’s just walk, she’s right downtown.” Janus hopped off the curb and crossed the parking lot. “Was he getting too personal again?”

“No, he…” Logan’s eyes widened. “Yes, actually. He was. It’s not a big deal, though.” 

Janus nudged him. “He does that with everyone. He’s not gonna get it if you aren’t direct, though, so just tell him if he starts poking at something he shouldn’t.” 

He nodded slowly. “That’s a good point.”

Downtown Angelica was mostly a market district, interspersed with corporate buildings. Flowers were placed in every window, plum trees on every corner. Cleaning crews worked their way up and down the streets, leaving the place like something out of a magazine. The divide where they were stationed was clear, the dirt and dust and litter caked into the streets of the Pit with a perfect edge. 

Janus checked his reflection in the window before leading Logan into the lobby of a skyscraper. “Keep your notebook in your pocket and follow my lead,” he mumbled. 

The heels on Janus’ combat boots clicked along the reflective tile. It was a large, cold room with huge windows to let the sunlight in. A small portion was dedicated to couches, a magazine rack, and a coffee maker. The receptionist’s desk was four times bigger than Remus’. 

She rolled away from her computer and smiled at Janus. “How can I help you two?” 

“How’s Councilwoman Curie’s schedule today? I was hoping to get some time in to speak with her.” 

The receptionist— Marie, her name tag read —raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, can I have a name?” She pulled her keyboard closer. 

“She doesn’t know me. I’m Janus Álvarez. I own Eden Gardens, down in one of the Pits.” 

“The Pits, huh?” She murmured something under her breath, fingers flying over the keyboard. “And what would this meeting be regarding?” 

Logan started to speak, but Janus grabbed his hand behind the desk and squeezed hard. “It’s mostly a business opportunity. I’ve heard some of my tenants talking about looking for unpaid internships— just out of high school, trying to get some experience, you understand. I’m sure she’s got her hands full, wouldn’t mind a few, mm, motivated assistants?” 

“Unpaid internships.” Her blue eyes flicked up from the screen. “Really?” 

Logan’s heart rate increased. Janus smiled like he found a goldmine he was dying to share. 

“Really. They think it would make a real difference.” 

Marie laughed and shook her head. “They’ll wake up soon, I guess. Take a seat, I’ll see if she can squeeze you in. Oh, I’m sorry— will your assistant be coming up with you?”

Janus rested a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “He will.” 

“Assistant?” Logan whispered when they sat. 

He laughed. “Relax.”

“I didn’t know we’d be lying so much to get inside.” 

“We’re not lying.” Janus draped his arm over the back of the couch, closing Logan in between him and the arm. “I am. And you’ll get your shot because of it.”

“Lies of omission.” Logan fidgeted with the buttons on his coat. “By not correcting you, I was—”

“You don’t lie often?” 

He swallowed and shook his head. 

“It scares you that I’m so good at it?” 

He shrugged, and nodded. 

Janus patted his shoulder. “That’s cute. Maybe—”

“Mr. Álvarez?” Marie nodded towards the stairs. “She’s on floor twelve, room 1217.” 

“Keep it shut ‘till I cue you in.” Janus smiled and waved to Marie before they headed up the stairs. 

Logan went to knock, but Janus covered his hand with his own. He brought his finger to his lips and pressed his ear against the door. 

He stared at Janus incredulously. “Seriously?” He whispered. 

Janus waved him off. After half a second, Logan followed his lead. 

Councilwoman Curie’s voice— sharp, with the lightest touch of a French accent —snapped between fits of typing. “No, I’m not arguing with you anymore. Just move the date, Jasmine. If you don’t, then I guess it’ll just be a no-show, because I’m  _ unavailable _ that day. I mean it.” 

“She’s in a bad mood,” Janus murmured. “That’ll make this harder. Don’t step in ‘till I tell you to.” 

He straightened up and knocked on the door. After an acceptance, they stepped into the office where a pale girl with strawberry blonde hair scribbled away in a planner. A silver nameplate read  _ Minerva Curie.  _

She squinted at her computer. “Marie said this is about some internships? How many people would be applying?” 

“Seven, but I actually had some questions for you first.” Janus sat with his legs crossed in one of the plush armchairs across from Curie’s desk. 

Logan sat stiffly in the other one, gripping his bag. 

“For me?” She raised an eyebrow with an incredulous laugh.  _ “I’m _ not applying for anything, so what could you have to ask me?” 

A grin slid across Janus’ face. He laced his fingers over his knee. “Well, I’m not just going to  _ hand over _ my tenant’s contact information without some… assurances. You  _ do _ want the unpaid interns, don’t you?” 

Curie’s green eyes were zeroed in on Janus, narrowed and cold. Logan could stand up screaming and she probably wouldn’t break focus. 

“What questions do you have?” 

His eyes crinkled. He gestured to Logan. “My assistant will be leading. I want to start with the vote you’re participating in next week.”

“You mean for the dumb high school?” She stared at Janus. “Why the hell do you want to know about that?” 

Logan cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well,” he paused. Her eyes finally shifted to him, “depending on how you vote, it could show… Integrity.” 

“...Integrity,” she repeated flatly. 

“Right.” He tapped his fingers along his arm. “These, uh, applicants are just out of high school, like Janus- um, Mr. Álvarez, mentioned.” He blushed. “If you vote yes, it would prove to us— to them— that you actually care about people like them.” 

As he spoke, his eyes trailed around the room. It wasn’t just that he was terrified to stare into her eyes too long, but there were certain affects demons had on their environment. Other than specifically hardy plants, most life forces were too intimidated to stick around. Not something that falls into pattern with the blooming daisies in the pink vase. 

“Sorry, are those real?” 

She stared at him in confusion. “Yes?” 

Out of disguise, all demons had horns. They were invisible, but much like Virgil’s halo, could cause strange effects when photographed. 

He snatched a framed photograph off her desk. She gestured to him with a glare, and Janus just held his hands up in defeat. 

The picture was of her and the rest of the council at the beach. He stared hard, but none of them showed signs. He put the frame back. 

“Sorry about that.” 

She stared between them, then just sighed and shook her head. “I don’t see myself saying yes to that proposal. It’s a high school, how much money do they need?” 

“Well, actually,” he held open his bag and pulled out a few slips of paper. Her eyes followed his moments as he slid them onto the desk, “if you want to look at these reports, you can see that their budget is already scarily low.” He tapped a few figures. “They can’t afford healthy lunches and their staff is dwindling because compensation is so low.” 

She pushed the data back and crossed her arms over the desk. “And how does this affect me?” 

Logan blinked. “Uh…” 

Janus rested a hand on Logan’s knee. “How long has your company been hiring interns?” 

“At least as long as I’ve been here.” 

“And how many of those are teenagers? 70, 80%?” 

Logan frowned and looked through his papers for that data. 

Curie pursed her lips. “Maybe.” 

“And do you think they’re capable of doing optimal work with a shitty diet and failing grades?” 

Her face was carefully composed, but her nose wrinkled. “I guess not.” 

“You could have harder-working, more qualified assistants in greater numbers.” He nodded to Logan. “You just have to vote yes.” 

A pause, then she sighed and rolled her eyes. “If I do, you’ll give me the information of these students of yours?” 

“I will give them  _ your _ information,” Janus said. “After the meeting, when the motion passes.” 

Logan gripped his bag. His heart was racing. He feared one wrong breath would destroy Janus’ progress. 

“Deal.” She made a face, like she couldn’t believe she was agreeing. “I’ll vote yes.” 

Logan looked between her and Janus. Janus was picture-perfect calm, but Logan could barely keep his voice steady. “I think that’s all the information we need, then.” 

They’d barely made it into the street when Logan dropped his bag and threw himself into Janus’ arms. Janus barely caught him around the waist, laughing in surprise and steadying Logan back on his feet. 

“Woah, that big a deal?” 

“That was incredible!” Logan beamed up at him. “I knew I could count on you!” 

Janus’ golden skin flushed pink. “It wasn’t that hard. Rich people are stupid.” 

He poked Janus’ chest. “Do not. I wouldn’t have gotten the vote without you. Just let me say thank you.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe I heard a thank you.” 

Logan rolled his eyes and pulled back. Janus’ hands slipped off his hips, but Logan laced their fingers as he pulled his bag back over his shoulder. “Come on, I’m taking you to dinner.” 

Janus stumbled after as Logan dragged him down the street. It was getting late, but they found a diner that was still open, with red booths and black-and-white tiled floors. Janus was much less composed than he was with Curie. He occasionally tripped over his words, or forgot what he was saying entirely. He practically choked on his fries when Logan reached over the table and took his hand. 

“You’re in a good mood,” Janus said as Logan rubbed circles on his wrist. “It was really that big of a deal?” 

“I think we really helped those kids.” He quirked an eyebrow. “And all the kids that’ll come in after them. Does that not make you feel good?” 

“Hm. Honestly, I wasn’t focusing on that.” 

Logan tilted his head to the side. “Then what were you focusing on?” 

Janus blinked. “Well… You. The end result I was picturing wasn’t a bunch of healthier, happier teenagers, it was you finishing your job.” 

Silence. 

Logan slowly took his hand back to pick up his fork. He tapped it against his plate—  _ clink clink clink.  _

“Oh.” 

Janus forced a smile. “Well, I might have gotten lost in the moment. But you’re right, we did a good thing.”

They finished dinner and walked back to Eden Gardens, the full moon sparkling behind them. The island got cold at night; strong gusts of wind blew through, nearly sending Logan’s small frame stumbling. Janus laughed, and they huddled together while Logan hid in his coat. 

Inside, Remus sat on top of the desk, scrolling through his phone. He grinned when they came in and jumped down to go kiss Janus. 

Janus pushed Remus’ messy bangs back and murmured, “Did you eat?” while Logan headed for the stairs. 

A moment later, Remus called out to him. “Why don’t you join us? A win means celebrating, right?” 

Logan hesitated. “We had dinner.”

“Oh, dinner,” Remus laughed. “Yes, what a treat. Come on, just keep us company.” 

He guessed Remus could be pretty convincing, too. 

It was… different, than all the other times. There wasn’t a single time Logan  _ didn’t _ enjoy sex with them, but they were very selfish. Logan always found himself pulled in twelve different directions, tending to one and then the other and back and forth and back and forth. Tonight, Logan was meant to lay there and take whatever they gave him, with Janus taking most of the direction— per his part of the reward. Other than safewords, Logan didn’t have a choice in what happened. No thinking required. 

When they finished, hours later, Logan wasn’t sure he’d ever been more tired in his life. He collapsed against the sheets. 

Remus rushed off to get him a glass of water as Janus pulled Logan into his arms. 

“Doing okay?” Janus murmured. 

Logan’s head fell onto Janus’ shoulder. “Mhm. Good— really good.”

He laughed and took the water. He got the straw in Logan’s mouth as Remus climbed back into bed, sandwiching Logan between them. 

They all fell asleep pretty quickly. Logan was certain he’d sleep through the night. 

Around 4am, something kicked him and he startled awake. He looked around blearily and didn’t see anything, and he was about to write it off, but then another jolt of pain rushed through his ankle. Remus twitched again— Logan barely managed to move out of the way. 

“Remus?” 

Remus thrashed a moment, a strangled cry tearing from his throat, and shoved his pillow off the bed. 

“Remus!” Logan sat up with a start. 

Janus was out of bed before he was fully awake. He rushed to Remus’ side and tried to wake him, grabbing his shoulders and arms and trying to stop his boyfriend from ripping his own nails through his skin. 

“Janus, you shouldn’t—”

“Fuck!” 

Remus’ nails sliced into Janus’ cheek. He lurched back and held his face. 

“DON’T!” Remus thrashed, striking at anyone who got too close. 

Logan rushed to Janus’ side. He watched, suddenly very awake, heart hammering, and only intervened when Remus clawed at his own arms. Remus sobbed and thrashed in his sleep, scarlet lines appearing on his arms. He pressed his face into the pillow and wailed. 

Janus eventually scrabbled for purchase against Logan, wrapping his arms around Logan’s waist and burying his face in his shoulder. 

After forever, Remus slowed. He was shaking violently. His face was bright red, covered in tears and snot. His eyes cracked open, looking around in confusion. 

“Hey,” Logan whispered. “Hey, it’s okay, are you back with us? Janus, go grab him some water.” 

Janus hurried away. Logan carefully climbed back into bed and held his hands out. Remus messily wiped his face, then took his hands. Sweat and snot mixed between their grip. 

“It’s okay.” Logan kept his voice quiet and gentle. “Do you remember where you are?” 

“My apartment,” he mumbled. “Mine and Janus’.” 

Janus got back with his water, and Logan made him slowly drink all of it. He sent Janus away to grab a first aid kit. 

“Whatever you were dreaming about,” Logan said, “you’re safe. You’re safe here. Are you feeling any better?”

Janus came back and started cleaning his scratches. They weren’t too deep, and certainly didn’t need to be wrapped up, but Logan knew Janus needed to feel helpful. 

“A little bit,” Remus mumbled. 

With Janus cuddling him and Logan talking him down, keeping him in the present, Remus slowly drifted back off. Logan settled against the headboard, next to Janus. 

“He has PTSD?” He asked quietly. 

Janus hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah.” 

He didn’t elaborate. 

“There are things you can do, you know,” Logan said softly. “Small things to avoid it.”

` Janus hesitated. “Like what?” 

“Does he have them around the same time every night?” 

Janus nodded. 

“Wake him up before then. Fifteen, twenty minutes before they would usually start. Just for a few minutes. There are some medications that could help. And therapy, obviously.” 

“Right.” Janus stroked Remus’ hair. “Obviously.” 

They stayed up for a little bit longer, until they were certain Remus would sleep through the night. Then they laid down on either side of him and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for the reception on the first chapter, i love hearing what you guys think <3


	3. I Will Not Let You Hurt Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan asks for Remus' help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warnings: Animal abuse/cruelty, screaming, minor violence, ableism (psycho used as an insult), euthanization mention, Morally Gray Remus & Janus Sanders

Logan woke to the clanging of metal. 

He sat up and wiped his bleary eyes, squinting at the kitchen. The stove click-click-clicked as a tall man with deep brown skin turned on the burner. 

“Uh.” Logan grabbed Janus’ shoulder and shook hard. 

“God, what?” He snarled. 

Logan looked at him in surprise. 

Janus huffed and buried his face in Remus’ pale shoulder. “I’m sleeping. Leave me alone.” 

“There’s a man in your kitchen.” 

“That’s just Roman,” Remus murmured. 

Logan looked back to the kitchen. Roman glanced over his shoulder and waved at him. 

“Okay,” Logan said. 

Roman picked up two coffee mugs from the counter and strolled into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed. Remus brightened and sat up to take one of the mugs. Janus grumbled, but did the same. 

“Janus texted me about what happened last night. I wanted to check on him. I take it you were there?” 

“He helped,” Janus said into his coffee. “Back off.” 

“Uh, Logan.” Logan held out his hand. 

Roman stared for a moment, Logan tensing under his narrowed eyes, then took his hand. His grip bruised. “Roman Ortiz. You should stay for breakfast. It shouldn’t take long.” 

Remus giggled, tucked into Janus’ side and sipping his coffee. Janus rolled his eyes. 

“That’s not necessary.” 

“I think he should stay.” Roman flicked his dark eyes to Janus, for just a moment, before bringing them back to Logan. “How long have you been sleeping together?” 

“About a month,” Logan said in confusion. “I don’t mind staying, if it’ll… soothe his worries.” 

Roman grinned and cupped Janus’ face for a moment before leaving to cook breakfast. The other two cuddled under the covers with their coffee, slowly waking, but Logan rushed to throw on pants the moment Roman’s back was turned. 

“He’s harmless,” Janus promised, eyes lidded. “I mean, unless you hurt one of us, then he’s not harmless at all. He’s just overprotective.” 

While Remus took Janus into the bathroom to check on his cheek, the cut having scabbed over, Logan offered to help cook. He was lulled into a false sense of security— Roman was perfectly polite and kept his questions to himself. 

The moment they sat down, Roman practically blurted, “So how’d you meet Janus and Remus?” 

Janus rolled his eyes and Remus hid his smile behind his toast. Logan clinked his fork along the plate. 

“I’m staying in town for a little bit, and, long-term, renting an apartment was cheaper than staying in a hotel.” 

Roman’s silverware was in hand but his attention was focused solely on Logan. His perfect posture rivaled Logan’s. “So you live in the building, then?” 

“For now, yes.” 

Roman stared. 

Logan sank his fork into his pancakes and got ready to cut. 

“And where are you going after?” 

Logan halted. “Wherever work takes me.” 

“Oh, so you’re here for work.” Roman set his silver down and propped his chin up. “What do you do?” 

“Volunteer work.” He thanked Janus quietly as Janus filled his glass from the pitcher of juice on the table. 

“Which organization?” 

Logan held back a sigh. “Sorry, my work is a little personal.” He cut into his pancakes. 

“Really?” He laughed. “The name of your organization is personal?” 

“Roman,” Janus warned. 

“What? I do volunteer work, too. Maybe we could work together sometime.” 

Logan tilted his head. “Who do you work for?” 

“All the local organizations.” He finally reached for the syrup and dumped a quarter of the bottle over his entire plate. “I’ve got a lot of free time.” 

Remus watched Roman’s food swim in the syrup, and promptly followed Roman’s lead. “I still don’t get why you’d waste so much of it doing something you don’t even get paid for.” He spoke with his mouth full, some words muffled as he shoveled more food in. 

Roman smiled. “You’ll get it.” 

Janus shrugged, holding his coffee close to his face. “You always say that, but I don’t know.” 

Roman finally dropped the interrogation. They finished breakfast, most of the conversation carried by Roman and Remus. If Logan didn’t look too closely, he’d say they didn’t like each other very much. They argued over the dumbest things— Roman chastising Remus’ elbows on the table, Remus making fun of Roman for not liking to swear —and occasionally got a little rough with each other. But there was a real admiration in Remus’ eyes, and Roman looked at him like a little brother. 

Logan helped them clean up then said goodbye so he could start his day. He dressed in his own clothes for once and gathered up his bag, but when he stepped into the hall, Roman followed. 

They walked silently to the stairs. 

The door creaked as they entered the stairwell. 

Logan almost broke the silence when Roman spoke up. “So really, what’s going on with you guys?” 

Logan looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean? We just sleep together sometimes— I wouldn’t even call us friends.” 

Roman was taking this way too seriously. It’s not like they were dating. 

“Yeah, no,” Roman laughed, “they can be pretty…  _ picky _ . But that won’t be a problem, will it?” 

They reached the next floor and Logan pushed his hip against the bar handle. He met Roman’s brown eyes. “I’m going to need you to be a little more clear. What exactly are you trying to tell me?” 

They stared. 

Logan sighed and shook his head, continuing towards his apartment. Roman followed. 

“Remus and Janus,” Roman managed, “they can’t help what they are. Especially Remus. If you haven’t realized it yet, you will soon, and when that happens— hey.” 

Logan reached for his keys, and Roman grabbed his arm. Logan spun around to face him with a frown, eyebrows raised. 

“When that happens,” Roman said lowly, “you’re either going to accept that or stay away from them.” 

Logan shifted uncomfortably. He yanked his arm back, running his fingers over the cold metal. “Okay, at first I thought this was some older brother routine, but do you think I’d actually hurt them? Put them in danger?” 

Roman didn’t look angry, didn’t look untrusting. “I don’t know what you’ll do. But I will not let you hurt them.” 

Logan hesitated. Then, softly, “I’ll never try.” 

xxx 

Logan spent the next week drowning in his work. 

He wasn’t usually the type to procrastinate, but he was so… overwhelmed. He didn’t have time to chase down every lead he had— that would involve interviewing the entire island. He paid Virgil a visit, and Patton was all too happy to see him. Patton even noticed Logan was stressed and roped him into baking brownies, which somehow Logan ended up taking home —but Virgil’s mouth might as well have been stitched shut. 

As a last resort, he called Seraphina and asked for some books that might help him identify the demons easier. He read every book cover to cover multiple times, took notes, covered the thing in highlighter— and still nothing. 

The more frustrated he got, the longer he went without making progress, the worse his back itched. His wings were desperate to come through. 

Walking home from a lead that led to a brick wall, he cut through one of the Midas districts. He made a habit out of it since most of them spent the nice days outside. They gossiped, held barbecues, their kids played in the street. With all that activity, Logan  _ had _ to catch something. 

It was not a nice day. 

Logan barely managed to keep his eyes open as the wind howled past, ice-cold rain burning his face. He regretted not driving his truck. He regretted not checking the weather. 

He wasn’t too far from his own district when he came across a house with a man at the front. Logan stopped with a frown. 

The man crouched to grab a small, scraggly dog by the fur of its neck. He screamed loud enough for his voice to carry over the wind. A rusty chain glinted in the grass, connected to the dog’s soaked collar. 

_ “The whole fucking street can hear you crying! Be quiet! Be! Quiet!”  _

Logan pursed his lips and crossed the street. He had to call several times before the man straightened up and turned to him. 

The man furrowed his eyebrows. “What the hell are you doing out?” 

He forced a smile. “Got caught on a walk. Shouldn’t you be bringing your dog inside? It’s freezing out here.” 

The dog whimpered and backed up, pressing their butt against the foundation of the house. 

“Are you kidding me? So she can ruin the floors?” 

Logan’s hands trembled. Heat burned in his stomach. “How long has she been out here?” 

He threw his hands up. “Who the fuck asked you?” He headed towards the porch stairs, mumbling something about a ‘rain weirdo.’ 

Logan put himself between the man and the dog. “I think it’s best that I get her off your hands.” 

He stopped. His chest shook with inaudible laughter as he turned. “What? You’re gonna steal my dog?” 

Logan rubbed over his arms, trying not to shiver. “It doesn’t seem like you really want her. I can take her for you, you won’t have to worry—”

He started forward, pointing at the dog. “That  _ bitch _ was a present for my daughter, you’re trying to steal my daughter’s present?” 

Logan flinched and stepped back. “If she really  _ cares  _ about the dog—”

_ “You’re not taking her dog, you psycho!”  _

Logan grunted as the man shoved him by the chest. His lungs burned as all the air escaped, his palms scraping over the grass and his head bouncing off the dirt. He winced as he pushed himself up. The man, now blurry as Logan wiped the rain from his eyes, carried the dog inside by the collar. The door slammed shut. 

xxx 

“Woah! Someone is  _ soaking!  _ So many jokes I could make, God, which one do I pick?” 

Logan sighed and hugged himself. Rain dripped into puddles along the gross carpet. “Remus—”

“I can’t make a joke about it being my fault, that’s too obvious. Of course you’re wet because of me. Maybe—”

_ “Remus.”  _ Logan stopped at the front desk. “When do you get off work?” 

He raised a pierced eyebrow. “Uh… Honestly? Just whenever. Why?” 

Logan frowned. “Wh— What? What are your hours?” 

Remus pushed back and spun the wheely chair in a messy circle. “Well, I come in after Jan and I eat breakfast, so probably around nine? I get a lunch and dinner break and we usually close up around eleven. We get a lot of complaints about that.” 

He blinked. “You work fourteen hour days?” 

Remus shrugged. “It’s not really working. I’m just hanging out.” 

Logan shook his head. “Another time,” he whispered to himself, then said, “I need your help.” 

A sick grin spread across Remus’ face. “Oh?” He cupped his face, elbows pressed to the desk. “Okay, let me guess—”

“I will not. There’s a man down in one of the Midas districts, close to here. He’s abusing his dog.”

Remus’ grin faded. “Um… alright. We can call—”

“No.” He gingerly set his palms on the desk, wincing. He sighed. “No, I’ve done research on every animal rights group on the island. They’re all corrupt. Most pets entering their care are euthanized within the month. I could use a break from work, I’ll use the time to find her a new home.” 

Remus flipped one of Logan’s hands over. His face hardened as the pussing scrapes. “Come over here, sit down.” 

Logan rolled his eyes, but when he went to argue, Remus shot him a deathly glare. Logan took his seat as Remus found the first-aid kit under the desk. He knelt in front of Logan and carefully cleaned his palms. 

“I’m not really a heist-man. Not good at being quiet.” 

“You don’t need to be. He keeps her outside— You just need to scare him into letting me take her.” 

Remus grinned up at him. “You really see the best in us!” 

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Janus’ talent for lies and manipulation, and the fact that you’re terrifying. Really seeing the  _ best _ .” 

Remus wrapped up his hands. His skin was cold, and rough. 

“Where did those scars come from?” Logan asked. 

Remus’ eyebrows raised. “Uh, various things. I mess with a lot of stuff I shouldn’t. I used to collect knives, a while ago. Wasn’t too good with them. I think this one was from a lighter that, like, exploded, that was weird. Um, this one came from a broken plate, this was a raccoon… a bunch of stuff, really.” 

Logan grinned and rested his hands on Remus’ shoulders. “I think we should start with the raccoon.” 

Remus laughed. 

They spent a little while making a plan, Janus coming in halfway through. When Remus told him what was happening, his eyebrows raised. 

“Really?” Janus wrapped an arm around Remus’ waist and pulled him against him. “You sure that’s a good idea?” 

“I don’t know what else to do,” Logan admitted. “My brain is kind of fried.” 

Janus eventually shooed Logan away to go shower and get warm. The next day, Janus gave Remus a quick goodbye kiss then the two of them climbed into Logan’s truck. 

Logan’s heart raced the closer they got to the man’s house. He slowed to a stop beside the sidewalk. The dog was once again chained up to the porch. She barely had enough gait to reach the plate of food left God-knows-when. 

Remus glared. “What’s the point?” 

Logan sucked in a breath and shook his head. “I don’t know. Are you sure Janus wasn’t right? Is this a good idea?” 

He glanced back at Logan. “Yeah, duh. Look at her. What’s bothering you?” 

“Well…” Logan swallowed. “Obviously the right thing to do is help the dog. But is this the right method?” 

“We’re not killing anyone,” Remus laughed. “Although, I’d be open to that. What’s the method matter? Look at her.” 

Logan’s gaze slipped over Remus’ shoulder. The dog’s fur was matted with mud, curls hanging in her eyes. She shivered violently. 

“Okay.” Logan pushed the door open. “Let’s go.” 

They trekked up the trimmed lawn to the front door, large and painted white. Logan sighed and rolled his eyes as Remus hopped up and down the porch stairs for a moment. Mud dropped from his boots and stained the pretty blue steps. 

Remus hopped into place beside Logan and puffed out his chest with a grin. “I got this. Follow my lead.” 

He rang the doorbell. 

Nothing. 

“Hm.” He rang the doorbell again. 

Birds chirped behind them. Chatter from one of the Midases’ endless barbeques drifted down the street. 

He rang the doorbell, and he rang the doorbell, and he rang the doorbell— 

Logan grabbed his hand. “Really?” 

“Cute, we’re holding hands!”

Logan ripped his hand back just as the door opened. 

_ “What—  _ oh, Jesus Christ, not you again.”

Logan forced up a pleasant smile. 

“Sir, do you have a moment to talk about your dog?” Remus asked. 

He swung the door closed. 

Remus pressed his palm on the wood before it could click closed. “We’re concerned for your health.” 

Logan blinked. It took a lot of strength not to take over. 

A moment of hesitation, then the door slowly creaked open. The man peeked around the corner with furrowed eyebrows. “What?” 

“My name is Remus, and this is my assistant Logan.” 

_ Why am I always the assistant?  _

“He told me what happened yesterday, and I think there was a misunderstanding.” 

The man yanked the door open with an incredulous laugh. “A  _ misunderstanding?  _ He came in here yelling about me not taking care of my dog, threatening to take her away—”

“He was shouting over the rain.” Remus rested a hand on Logan’s shoulder, who did his best to act innocent. How did innocent people look again? “And he’s sorry if he insinuated anything, uh…”

The man rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe. “Eugene.” 

“Can I take a second to tell you about the health risks about owning that breed?” 

Logan squinted at the dog curled in the grass. She was further into the yard now— as much as she could be —trying to warm up in the sun. 

“Looks like a… terrier of some kind?” 

Eugene waved his hand. “Okay, and?” 

“Well,” Remus said, “I see you have her outside, which is a good start. I assume you know they’re prone to fleas and lice?” 

Logan frowned. That was a little misleading. 

Eugene forced a scoff. “Yeah, of course.” 

“That’s not something you want spreading to your family. Logan said you have a daughter? Who knows how long she’d be out of school if she contracts either of those.” 

Eugene wrinkled his nose. 

“Or, God, both at the same time? Can you imagine having to take care of your daughter with both fleas  _ and _ lice?”

Eugene’s eyes snapped to his dog like he just uncovered her secret plan to kill his entire family. 

“And,” Remus sagged his shoulders, pursed his lips, “that’s just before the fever sets in.” 

He wet his lips, gaze back on Remus. “Fever?” 

“Right! They carry more than just bugs. Once they spread their diseases to you, all there’s left to do is wait for it to attack your immune system and then… well…” He sighed and shook his head. 

Logan was having a very hard time not giving them away. 

Eugene glanced between Remus and Logan. He crossed his arms. “Really? And why wouldn’t anyone tell me about this?” 

“Uh,” Logan straightened up, “I assume you bought her at a store?” He smoothed out his coat and forced himself to maintain eye contact. “Rather than a shelter?” 

“Yeah?”

“Most of them care more about making a sale than anyone’s safety.” 

Eugene slumped. Remus squeezed Logan’s shoulder in approval, making his stomach flutter with butterflies. 

“And you’ve…  _ handled _ these types of dogs before?”

“Plenty of times,” Remus promised. He wondered if he learned from Janus, or if Janus learned from him. “We can relocate her for just a small fee.” 

Logan’s eyes blew wide. “Remus—” 

“How much?” Eugene asked. 

“Two hundred dollars.” 

“Wait right here. Just—” he waved angrily in the dog’s general direction, “get her in the truck, yeah?” 

He slammed the door. 

“We cannot take his money,” Logan whispered firmly. 

Remus shrugged, heading down the steps. Logan scrambled to follow. 

“Why not? He’s an asshole.” He gestured to the dog, who flinched when they came close. 

She trembled under their gaze. When Logan knelt to pick her up, she darted backwards. Logan sighed. 

He slowly coaxed her into the truck while Remus got the money. 

They settled her in the backseat. Logan shut his eyes and leaned back as Remus slid behind the wheel. He counted out half of the bills and held it to Logan. 

He didn’t open his eyes. “I’m not taking that.” 

Remus sighed dramatically. He grabbed Logan’s hand and pressed all the money into his palm. “Use it on her. Pet stuff is fucking expensive.” 

Logan hesitated, then pocketed it with a quiet thank you. 

“What are you planning on doing with her, anyway? You know Janus doesn’t allow pets.” 

“I think I can convince him. At least temporarily.” 

“Oh?” Remus waggled his eyebrows as he drove, flipping the visor down against the sun.  _ “Convince _ him?” 

Logan’s face flushed. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, if that’ll… no, that’s not what I meant. I have some talking points outlined.” 

Remus snickered. “Sure thing. I’ll make sure to give you some privacy when you give your presentation.” 

Janus was waiting outside when they pulled into the parking lot. He sat in the sunlight with a book, the golden rays brightening his usually cold skin. Autumn breeze ruffled his hair. He stood with a grin when they got out of the car, which immediately faded as Logan helped the dog. 

“What is that,” he asked flatly. 

Remus skipped over and pressed a wet kiss on Janus’ cheek. Janus wiped it away. “Logie saved her!” 

“It was mostly you.” Logan gripped her leash and led her over. “Don’t be so loud. Janus, we can talk about this, right? I only need a few weeks, at most.” 

Janus looked around, but the parking lot was just as dead as ever. If it wasn’t for the occasional party or the blaring stereo at nights, Logan would think he was the only tenant. 

“I didn’t know you were bringing her  _ here.  _ You don’t get special tenant privileges just because we sleep together,” he whispered harshly. 

Logan picked the dog up and held her out. “Do I get special privileges because of how cute she is?” 

“Was this it, was this your talking point?” Remus asked. 

“No, I have more.” 

“Just don’t let anyone see her,” Janus sighed. “I’ll ask Roman about some of the shelters he works for. And if someone asks, pretend she’s a service dog.” 

“I won’t be doing that,” Logan said. 

“Whatever! Come on Remus, you have work to do.” He snatched his book and Remus’ hand, and dragged him into the complex. 

Logan set the dog down and knelt to look at her. He held his hand out, and after a moment, she pressed her snout against it. He scratched behind her ear. 

“You need a bath,” he said. “And a vet appointment. And a bunch of other stuff.” 

xxx 

“So,” Remus rolled over in bed and rested his chin on Janus’ chest, “loosening up the rules? That’s new.”

“Don’t start with me,” Janus mumbled. He pulled Remus closer to bury his face in Remus’ hair. 

“Just sayin’,” he sang. “Last person you broke the rules for was me. Isn’t that funny?” 

“Ha-ha.” 

Remus dropped the tease. “You know we can’t keep doing this much longer. This in-between thing? We’re gonna get in trouble. I can’t do that again.” 

“I know you can’t. I’d never let you. So what, you want to cut him off?” 

Silence. 

“I don’t like that,” Remus whispered. 

“Me, neither. We’re being quiet about it, aren’t we?”

“Not really.” 

“God. You’re so frustrating.”

Remus leaned up and kissed him. “There’s another thing we can do.” 

Janus hesitated. “You really think he’d make a good demon? He doesn’t even like lying. He got himself all scraped up trying to save a random dog.” 

“Hey, I never thought  _ I _ could be a demon,” Remus laughed. “Then I died and shit just happened. Besides, there’s been crazier conversions. Like, I’m not saying we  _ marry  _ the guy, but it would at least buy us a few centuries of fun without getting in trouble.” 

Janus hummed. He nuzzled against Remus and let his eyes fall shut. “Alright.” 

Remus grinned. “Alright?” 

“Alright. Nothing fucking crazy though, okay? We’re not convincing him to murder anyone or something like that.” 

“Limits only make me more creative,” Remus promised. 

Janus kissed the top of his head. “Goodnight, Rem.” 

“Night, Jan-Jan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! i really appreciate all your comments though, i'd love to hear what you think of this chapter <3

**Author's Note:**

> hi so i'm actually a lil terrified to start posting this. if you're familiar w my writing you might know that when i'm writing something with multiple chapters, i write out the entire thing, and then edit it, and THEN post it. it's a lot of work lol. but i really want some support on this fic and i'm excited to share it with you :3 the entire thing is outlined, so it's not possible for writer's block to slow things down, it's all about motivation.   
> <3


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